And then the school-life went on, with its ups and downs, pleasures and pains, as school-life will, till one morning—the morning following a pillow-chat in bed between the two boys who play the principal parts in this story, when their discourse had been about the length of time that had elapsed since the Colonel had visited Plymborough—Wrench came to the class-room to announce that the Doctor desired the presence of Mr Severn and Mr Singh.
There was a whispered word or two as the pair rose from their seats wondering what it meant, and there were plenty of malicious grins, Slegge’s containing the most venom, as he whispered to Burney loud enough for Singh to hear, “Cane!” while Burney’s merry little face grew distorted as he caught Glyn’s glance, and then began to rub his knuckles in his eyes, as if suggesting what his big friend would be doing when he came back from seeing the Doctor.
“I say, is anything the matter?” said Singh nervously.
“No. Nonsense!” replied Glyn. “I am sure we have both been doing our best.”
This was as they got outside the class-room and were following Wrench into the hall.
“Hurrah! I know!” whispered Glyn. “I believe it’s the dad come down at last.”
“Oh!” cried Singh joyously. “Then he’ll want us to come and dine with him. How jolly!”
For it was long indeed since the Colonel had been down; and though he wrote pretty regularly, first to one and then to the other, excusing himself on the ground that he had been very busy of late over Indian business connected with the late Maharajah’s affairs, letters did not mean a day’s holiday ending with a pleasant dinner and a long talk about old days in Dour.
So the boys fully expected to find the fierce-looking old Colonel chatting with the Doctor and waiting to greet them in his hearty manner. But they were disappointed, for as they entered the study the Doctor laid down his pen, nodded gravely to both, and picked up a letter.
“I have just heard from Colonel Severn inquiring after your welfare, though he says that one of you proves to be a very fair correspondent.”